1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for scanning recording media with an automatic medium-change mechanism and a structure for mounting same in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional structure for mounting an apparatus for scanning recording media (hereinafter referred to as a cassette deck) in a vehicle is exemplified by Japanese patent application Examined Open No. Sho. 59-27301.
FIG. 1 shows the conventional structure disclosed in the above-identified Japanese Patent document. As shown in FIG. 1, the cassette deck 101 is housed in the instrument panel 103 of the vehicle body.
However, other vehicle parts such as an air conditioning unit need also be disposed within the limited space of the panel 103 and there is a strict limitation on the height of the upper edge of the instrument panel 103 due to the need to leave the forward field of vision of the driver clear. Hence, it is impossible to install an ; apparatus requiring a vertical clearance for a number of housed cassette tapes, e.g., an automatic recording medium-changeable cassette deck (product name is AUTO CHANGER CASSETTE STEREO) within the vehicle body, i.e., within the instrument panel 103. The cassette deck described above can continuously play back music recorded on a plurality of cassette tapes housed within a cassette magazine (cassette housing).